UC San Diego

Kat Chen enters her first season as an assistant coach with UC San Diego women's volleyball in 2026.

Chen comes to La Jolla after spending two seasons at fellow Big West member UC Santa Barbara as an assistant coach from 2024 to 2026. 
 
Chen hails from Australia where she most recently spent the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach and manager for the Australian Senior Women’s National Team, the Volleyroos.
 
With a wealth of international experience, Chen’s first head coaching opportunity came at the Swedish National Junior Training Centre in 2019. After three years as the head coach for the youth girls, she returned to Australia to serve as an assistant coach to the Canberra Heat and at the Australian Volleyball Academy. In addition, she coached the Future Stars Academy U23 Women’s Team in the AUS Junior Volleyball Championships. The following year, she assumed the head coaching position of the Adelaide Storm in the Australian Volleyball Super League and led the team through their 2023 season.
 
Chen played for the Australian Women’s National Team from 2009-2018 leading the team to the VNL Challenger Cup, Asian Senior Championships, FIVB World Grand Prix Group 3 and VTV Cup.

Chen graduated from Victoria University in 2016 with a bachelor’s in exercise science and clinical rehabilitation.